Then, in 2014, Robinson changed directions sonically when he released the much more chilled out Worlds on Astralwerks. It was warmly received by critics and fans, with the single "Lionhearted" leading the charge. He later embarked on the fan-favorite Worlds Tour that brought an immersive experience to the album's musical narrative.
He was riding so high on that success, everyone expected him to release his much-anticipated second album a few years later — but it never materialized. Sure, there were singles, and his very popular Virtual Self project. But behind the scenes, the artist was experiencing crippling anxiety to match the success of Worlds.
"I was just severely depressed and very anxious. I was terrified of the idea of moving out of my parents’ house," Robinson told Billboard's Katie Bain last month.
The release of the five-track, self-titled Virtual Self EP in late 2017 — which took cues from '90s and 2000s rave music and Eurodance — seemed to reinvigorate Robinson's creativity. Seeing him perform the project live was a revelation on how much he had grown as a musician since his Spitfire days. It was obvious that he wasn't looking to retread old ground, even if that meant losing fans along the way. Instead, he made the kind of music that appealed to the synth pop- and anime-obsessed.
The wait for Robinson's proper sophomore album finally ended last month with the release of Nurture, put out by indie rock-focused label Mom + Pop. The album builds on the foundation set by Worlds, with tighter song structures and pop hooks.
During his performance during his Secret Sky virtual music festival last month, audiences got to see Robinson singing live and playing piano in addition to his usual synth and MIDI setup, all set to spectacular visuals.
That was, perhaps, a taste of what fans are in store for now that Robinson has announced his Nurture Live tour. The 30-date tour kicks off September 23 in Eugene, Oregon, before trickling its way down to Florida: first, in Orlando on October 29 at the Orlando Amphitheater, and then onward to the Fillmore Miami Beach on October 30.
Presale for the Nurture Live tour starts on Wednesday, May 12, at 10 a.m. (Register at nurturelive.com for access.) That's followed by an AEG and Spotify presale on Wednesday, May 13, with tickets finally available to the general public on Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.
Here are the full dates for the Nurture Live tour:
- September 23 Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater
- September 24 Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater
- September 26 Spokane, WA - Spokane Pavilion
- September 29 Salt Lake City, UT - The Great Saltair
- October 1 Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles State Historic Park
- October 6 Columbus, OH - Express Live
- October 7 Madison, WI - The Sylvee
- October 8 Minneapolis, MN - The Armory
- October 9 Chicago, IL - Navy Pier
- October 11 St. Louis, MO - The Factory at The District
- October 12 Detroit, MI - The Masonic
- October 14 Richmond, VA - Virginia Credit Union Live!
- October 15 Washington, D.C. - The Anthem
- October 16 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
- October 17 Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia
- October 21 Brooklyn, NY - Avant Gardner
- October 22 Brooklyn, NY - Avant Gardner
- October 23 Brooklyn, NY - Avant Gardner
- October 25 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
- October 27 Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre
- October 28 Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater
- October 29 Orlando, FL - Orlando Amphitheater
- October 30 Miami Beach, FL - The Fillmore
- November 2 Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion
- November 3 Austin, TX - ACL Live
- November 5 Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
- November 6 Dallas, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- November 9 Denver, CO - The Mission Ballroom
- November 12 Phoenix, AZ - Rawhide Event Center
- November 13 San Diego, CA - Pechanga Arena
Porter Robinson. With Jai Wolf. 8 p.m. Saturday, October 30, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-7300; fillmoremb.com. Presale starts Wednesday, May 12, at 10 a.m., sale to the general public starts Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.
